Hi, and I would like to thank anyone in advance for reading this and responding (if you do). I hope this thread can help others like me in the future.
I’m a current senior who has taken every single AP and honors class available in high school. I’m currently rank 10, with a 4.9 weighted GPA. Additionally, I am pursuing an IB bachaloerate Diploma. I also work, in play a varsity sport, and run 2 clubs. I’m on the low income bracket when it comes to my race and location of living. I’m a first generation student in my family.
Despite this, I’ve come at a point where I no longer can continue to take all APs and have the sanity to go through my day. I cant hang out with friends, and it’s been taking a real toll on my life. I want to drop AP Biology as it will free up a considerable amount of time for me to pursue other activities, to keep up with IB program, and to keep my job and sport.
Is this a viable option for someone who is pursuing a STEM major? If yes, should I take a regular science or completely drop it. If not, should I just try to battle it through for one last year?
It sounds like some kind of drop in schedule might be appropriate.
What other classes are you taking? Do you have other science courses senior year? What type of colleges are you considering? Did you talk to your guidance counselor to see if dropping AP Bio would mean that you would not get the “most rigorous” designation for your courseload?
I’m taking AP Spanish 5, IB Global Politics, IB English 5, Civics Honors, and AP Biology. I cant take Apes because the class is full at my school and so I’m not allowed. I’m currently looking at T20s for STEM, which is why ik hesitant to drop it. Havent talked to councelor yet though.
As a senior with your great stats, yes, IMHO it is ok to drop AP Bio. You need a life, you need to be a teen. You are obviously going to be successful in life. Enjoy yourself a little!
Congratulations on all of your hard work over the years. You deserve a lot of credit.
I would talk about this with your counselor. What will show on your transcript if you drop? A W?
If you are aiming for T20 colleges and a STEM major, you really won’t be a competitive candidate without any science class senior year, and a rigorous one at that. Unless you already have four years of science including the biology-chemistry-physics lab science trifecta? On the other hand, if you lower your college expectations just a bit, you probably could get away with dropping a level in science. You’d have to lower your college expectations even further to drop science altogether AND still be a STEM major.
Making adjustments to prevent burnout or senioritis is a very, very smart move. However, if you are overwhelmed now, you also have to think hard about whether a T20 STEM program is really the right match for you.
You need a math and a science class (calculus if you didn’t take that junior year, or IB Math HL; AP physics 1 or 2, IB physics SL or HL).
For stem, physics is more important than AP Bio.
So, I’d drop AP Bio and take a math and a science at the IB level (SL if necessary, HL if possible).
If your schedule is too heavy, drop down from civics honors to civics regular.
Are you in the IB Diploma or certificate program? Because you should be taking 3 HLs, 3 SLs, CAS, and TOK.
Just to clarify as well, I am not allowed to drop civics Honors or global politics. In pursuing IB program, these classes are needed and required for all of students at our school.
The level of competition for a T20 is going to be fierce.
I still would drop one of the other courses before eliminating your science. Competitive schools for STEM majors are going to expect 4 years of science.
OP - I can’t offer specific advice on classes to keep or drop. However, my bigger picture guidance is about you and your happiness.
I’m sure you have tremendous internal and external pressure to achieve certain things. And congratulations on your excellent achievements to date. T20, as others have mentioned, is a fierce competition. Fast forward and let’s say you win that battle. Now you’re at a T20 with hundreds / thousands of kids who were fierce like you. Some of these places will be collaborative and others will be your current life 2.0.
Ask yourself what you really want. Be brutally honest with yourself. Right now you may be doing things to please others, meet / exceed their expectations, etc. At their core, people who love you only really want you to be happy. They assume “winning the race” will make you happy. Maybe it will. But make sure you know what race you’re running and what race(s) you really care about. I know these are challenging concepts for a 17 or 18 yr old. But you are exceptional. Trust your instincts.
Hard work is fine and quite necessary to reach certain things. You can do that for a long time as long as you want what that brings. Happiness is the key to living a successful life. Only you can define your happiness. Try to keep the journey and the destination aligned with your ultimate goals. You’ll find the destination is just a mental construct, the horizon if you will. Life is really about the journey!
“If you are aiming for T20 colleges and a STEM major, you really won’t be a competitive candidate without any science class senior year, and a rigorous one at that.”
I don’t know why people keep saying this when there’s a lot of context that would indicate OP would not need a rigorous science class. If the things about being first gen, needing to keep a job, race is true, the T20s will definitely take that into account. These are the exact types of students they want more of at their colleges.
As for as those concerned that I may not be telling the full truth, I really am. My race is white, i am on the low income bracket for my race, and keeping a job for me is critical because otherwise i would have no money for myself.
Now for ECs. I run two of which both are important to me. Habitat for Humanity, in which we provide volunteer opportunities to our community, and also Hour of Code, in which we provide coding lessons to K-5 students to engage about the modern world. I believe both of these provide a valuable aspect as to who I am and I dont wish to drop these. Water polo will soon be ending at the end of October, so no point in dropping my sport as I’ve come so far and have only a month left.
As for those who mention the battle of getting into T20s, I truly do recognize the challenge. However, I genuinely am not interested in AP Bio, and I have a lot of other activities in my life that I need to manage. Although I may be answering my own question here, I still would like to know everyone’s opinion because I could simply change one thing for another.
I’m reading everyone’s response, and thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
The only other science class available for me is Apes, which is full at our school. Unless I want to take regular courses like oceanography or sports medicine.
So if I drop, I either I take those regular courses or nothing at all.
@guchiguchi What science courses have yo taken already?
I do not think that you need to have a science course every semester of every year, if you have already “doubled up” in previous years. I would think that if you already have a total of eight semesters of science, especially if they are AP and Honors, then you can drop AP Bio, so long as you do not want to major in any of the biological sciences.